Rear upper tailgate lock not engaging - RESOLVED
 

Happy new year to all and i will so a scan on the forum but i am kicking myself for what I done:
I unlocked the rear tailgate, whilst raised/open I locked it (dont ask why), left tailgate open, forgot it was in lock position tried to close it whilst the lock was engaged of course wouldn't , so unlocked it with the key fob now the lock wont engage at all and tailgate is open and I have to resort to taping it shut!
Tried all fuses but no....it doesnt respond either via key fob or the plastic touch sensitive place under the bmw rounder at back! wot have I done?

Nope not fixed it yet, i checked the soft close fuse in rear all ok swapped around the 2 identical purplish relays in the rear above fuse box same, what's odd i don't get a boot lid open message when clearly the latch is in the open position and upper boot open.

when i apply reasonable pressure to the actual latch to take it to the closed position it moves with resistance doesn't lock, and then it does go back to the open position so this tells me the spring i have read in many posts that breaks cant have as I have tension there? am i correct?

what worries me is lack of any noises when i press the fob or the soft touch...so either something is well snagged up or something broke or both seeing as i close the darn lid whilst the lock mechanism was in the lock position...ANY feedback appreciated

Check out this channel. I just watched a vid he did on this subject. I can't find the exact vid but look for him working on the red 4.6 rear hatch. It is specifically about this issue.
https://www.youtube.com/@ZeroTo60Tube

ok fella will give it a go thanks for reply you mean this guy in first link? my latch is not as loose but ....i think trying to shut it whilst it was in locked position must how thrown something out of kilt and jammed it

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yYZNXM0Jd7E

this is a good vid but i have a 2004 facelift

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LnmC5eNlKc0

Right, ok yesterday PM the rear upper tailgate lock was not engaging and stuck in open position as per post and my stupid idea to lock the rear mechanism manually so to speak whilst the upper rear tailgate was raised and then accidentally trying to close it down whilst the lock was in engage position! (note in past i engaged the rear lock whilst upper tailgate open so i could loop through rope or wire so i could keep rear open but secured when lugging around oversized items )

checked fuses all ok
swapped around the soft close relay
started car NO bootlid open message

Got all my tools ready this morning, started car a drove 10m to get into driveway ready to dig in, and bootlid open appeared on dash, and then i could hear the rear lock mechanism trying to engage!

Stopped check and it had locked, pressed the 'button' at rear and was able to open it, lowered it again and it locked....all good now! no idea how or why? And apologies if this had been no help to anyone as a fix, but all i did was swap out the 2 purple relays in rear and fuses like for like and let it sit overnite!

One note to make is that when i use the key fob to open the rear for some reason if i am not at the rear of the car to immediately pull up, it quickly goes back to locked position.....been like this for a while but am not bothered